Varanus albigularis Daudin, 1802

Kirchhof, Sebastian, Wasonga, Victor, Mazuch, Tomáš, Spawls, Stephen & Malonza, Patrick Kinyatta, 2023, An annotated checklist of the herpetofauna of the Sibiloi National Park in northern Kenya based on field surveys, Amphibian & Reptile Conservation (e 324) 17 (1 / 2), pp. 1-18 : 9

Varanus albigularis Daudin, 1802

CITES App. II

Vouchers: NMK-381L (field no. SK16 1108)

Localities: IL ( R), AB ( R)

Remarks: This monitor lizard is quite widespread across Africa and occupies different habitats from dry and moist savanna, coastal thicket and woodland, and semi-desert, from sea level to 1,500 m elevation ( Spawls et al. 2018). It likely occurs across most of Kenya, but museum specimens are scarce. The records of the rock or White-Throated Monitor represent the first records for the eastern shore of Lake Turkana, although there was hardly any doubt the species occurred there. Three individuals were found in December and April, comprising one adult and two juveniles. The two juveniles ( Fig. 4R ) were found at night sleeping on tree branches, one was exposed just lying atop the branch at 2 m height, and one was hidden under bark close to the ground. The adult individual was found in the morning under the bark of a tree stem.

Figures

Fig. 4. Reptile species recorded during the surveys: (A) Crocodylus niloticus; (B) Agama lionotus; (C) Agama rueppelli; (D) Holodactylus africanus; (E) Hemidactylus angulatus; (F) Hemidactylus barbierii; (G) Hemidactylus lanzai; (H) Hemidactylus ruspolii; (I) Homopholis fasciata; (J) Lygodactylus somalicus; (K) Stenodactylus sthenodactylus; (L) Heliobolus spekii; (M) Latastia longicaudata; (N) Philochortus rudolfensis; (O) Chalcides bottegi; (P) Mochlus sundevallii; (Q) Trachylepis striata; (R) Varanus albigularis; (S) Eryx colubrinus; (T) Platyceps brevis; (U) Psammophis cf. tanganicus; (V) Psammophis punctulatus; (W) Rhamphiophis rostratus; (X) Naja pallida; (Y) Bitis arietans; and (Z) Echis pyramidum.